Our chickens keep getting attacked, what should we get to protect them?

[TXFarmGirl]

Allot of people over look a good all purpose farm dog. One that is trained to not harm livestock. A lot of people automatically say lgd you need an lgd. I don't need one I have a good farm dog. I've had a few good ones my favorite is an Airedale. I've had both male and female. I would stay away from herding breeds of all types. But some herding with another type work good.

Thanks you!

 

[greybeard]

Yep, you have a fencing problem, and not so much of a predator problem, but the most common poultry predator in East Texas is Barred Owls. They're everywhere. They'll leave a good bit of the chicken carcass, but other vermin will quickly clean up the evidence. Fox, hawks, coyotes, buzzards, and bobcats..even possums and raccoons..they eat whatever the owls leave..

Free range is a great management style but you have to keep in mind, that predators do it far better than anything else and no dog does much against an owl attack....it happens too quickly. They swoop down, day or night, the talons pierce the skin of the poultry immediately and the poultry is dead. Dog may prevent the owl from eating it's prey, but the damage is already done.

 

[TXFarmGirl]

Update::: We did end up getting an LGD in November 2019. SHE WAS A GOOD CHOICE! We dreaded the 2 years of trainin, weren’t comfortable getting an adult LGD, were scared of the loses we might suffer from one, but it didn’t go that way. She accidentally killed 1 chicken(yes it was our favorite hen), but the one loss saved the whole flock. We haven’t lost a single chicken to a predator since we’ve had her. She Counts them every night, she checks on them, she is sad for one that has a poopy butt, and she knows when we get new chickens(she doesn’t like newcomers much, but eventually excepts them). Thank you all for all the impit you gave. She is turning out great with a bit of work, and we are working on more every day.

 

[Baymule]

That is great news. What about pictures?? LOL